THE FIORD COUNTRY

Southland Times, Issue 19757, 3 February 1923, Page 6

THE FIORD COUNTRY

AN EXCURSION PARTY’S EXPERIENCES To many, there is a fascination in penetrating the unknown portions of the earth, and bringing away, if possible, historical souvenirs of the trip. Although, perhaps, the country just visited by Mr and Mrs W. Todd, and their guests is not as remote from civilisation as Central Africa, or the vast solitudes of Central Australia, it is nevertheless a portion of New Zealand that lies well outside the beaten track of the average tourist. There is much primitive grandeur, and the fact of its early historical associations add to its attractiveness as a spot appealing to one who seeks an excursion that will be, to use Mr Todd’s phrase when speaking to a limes representative: “distinctly outside the ordinary.” Under the guidance of so experienced a veteran as Captain Rogers, Mr and Mrs Todd and their guests admit that it was a trip that will long live in their memories. The party started from the Bluff about a fortnight ago and reached Preservation Point on the 16th. From thence they visited many places of interest. At Doubtful Sound the landscape was particularly beautiful, bird life was much in evidence, and fish were plentiful—one had only to put down a line to immediately secure a good breakfast. At Dusky Sound seals were photographed on the rocks. Here the country was somewhat barren, except perhaps in the valleys, but some fine country was met with between Chalky and Dusky Sounds, and the scenery in places was magnificent. The party had the advantage of a launch for use in places that were not navigable otherwise, and a good deal of advantage was taken of this fact for exploring the smaller inlets J In places there were evidences of big land-slips, where the country had been left gaunt and uninviting. In one such of these excursions a large cave was visited where at one time the petrified figure of a man had been discovered, and the spot has been seldom visited. Doubtful Sound, and Coal River between Dusky and Doubtful Sounds were visited. There is a very fine beach there, where sharks abound, three of which averaging Bft were shot. This is a spot very rarely visited, and the scenery is most engaging. At Jacket Arm a most sensational incident occurred. The party were out boating at night time, and suddenly the sea in front of them was lashed into foam and irradiated with phosphorence. For a moment it was hard to decide what had occurred, but whilst the boat rocked perilously the fact leaked out that it was a large whale that had dived, after bidding them a sort of good-bye by vigorously flapping his tail. The situation was unenviable and is tersly summed up in a sentence from a letter by one of the ladies present to her father after the incident—“ Had the whale delayed waving us good-bye until we got closer, you would not now be reading this letter.” The boat was now steered for home, but made little headway before it got “jammed” in a school of black fish, and the rowers had to put in an extra pound, whilst the genial Skipper Rogers, for’ard pushed the fish out of the track with a pole, to get through. It was at Supper Cave that the elusive Bill Moose was discovered. Whilst the party was on deck viewing the scenery, two huge animals burst through the thick scrub skirting the beach some distance from them, and stood in full view. Cameras were speedily sought and after a good deal of manoeuvring Bill was successfully snapped. On the 26th the party steamed into Breaksea, and thence through Acheron Passage to Dusky Sound, and anchored in Facile Harbour, where the remnants of the “Endeavour,” an old East Indiaman, was beached in 1795. Mr Todd secured some souvenirs from the wreck—a piece of the sheathing about 6ft long, and a piece of deck board of similar dimenjuons, besides some ballast—which can now seen at his mart, by anyone who so desires. The teak wood, although it has been under water for a century and a quarter, is perfectly sound. In fact it has outlasted the copper sheeting which is more or less corroded. A start was now made for home, and after a few more stoppages of minor importance the Bluff was safely reached on Monday, 29th ult. The launch “Pakeha” was met at Jacket Arm, from Invercargill, and those on board desired the Waterlilly party to report “at home” that all was well.